What is a PEEP? Learn the Basics and Legal Requirements
Understanding Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans
A Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) is a tailored document that sets out how someone with a disability, impairment, or condition affecting their mobility can safely evacuate a building during an emergency. PEEPs are sometimes called Personal Emergency Egress Plans, but both terms refer to the same essential safety planning tool.
Unlike general fire evacuation procedures that assume everyone can quickly exit a building via stairs, a PEEP recognises that some individuals need specific assistance, equipment, or alternative evacuation routes to reach safety. These plans are crucial in workplaces, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, residential buildings, and any other premises where people with reduced mobility may be present.
Who Needs a PEEP?
A PEEP should be considered for anyone whose disability or condition might make it difficult to evacuate quickly and safely during an emergency. This includes people who:
- Use a wheelchair or mobility scooter
- Have limited mobility or require walking aids
- Have visual or hearing impairments that may affect their awareness of alarms or evacuation routes
- Have cognitive or learning disabilities that might make it harder to understand emergency instructions
- Have conditions affecting stamina or breathing, such as severe asthma or heart conditions
- Are temporarily injured or recovering from surgery
- Are pregnant and in late stages where mobility is significantly affected
The need for a PEEP should be assessed on an individual basis, taking into account the person’s specific needs and the particular building they occupy.
What Should a PEEP Include?
An effective Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan should be developed collaboratively with the individual concerned and should cover the following key areas:
Personal Details: The individual’s name, location within the building (such as office number or usual workspace), and contact information for next of kin or emergency contacts.
Nature of Disability or Condition: A clear description of how the person’s disability or condition affects their ability to evacuate, without requiring excessive medical detail.
Awareness of Alarms: Whether the person can hear, see, or otherwise detect fire alarms and evacuation signals, and any additional alert methods needed (such as vibrating pagers or visual alarms).
Evacuation Route: The primary evacuation route the person will use, any alternative routes available, and identification of potential obstacles or challenges along these routes.
Evacuation Method: How the person will evacuate – whether independently, with assistance from designated helpers, using specific evacuation equipment (such as evacuation chairs), or via refuge areas.
Designated Assistants: Names of trained staff members or colleagues who will provide assistance during evacuation, including backup assistants if primary helpers are unavailable.
Equipment Requirements: Any specialist evacuation equipment needed, where it is stored, and who is trained to use it.
Refuge Areas: Location of any evacuation refuge points where the person may need to wait temporarily if immediate evacuation is not possible.
Communication During Emergency: How the person will communicate with emergency services and building management during an evacuation.
Review Schedule: When the PEEP will be reviewed and updated, typically at least annually or whenever circumstances change.
Legal Requirements for PEEPs in the UK
Employers, building managers, and those responsible for premises have clear legal obligations to ensure that everyone can evacuate safely during an emergency, including people with disabilities or reduced mobility.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
This legislation forms the foundation of fire safety law in England and Wales. The Fire Safety Order requires the “responsible person” (typically the employer or building owner) to carry out a fire risk assessment. Crucially, this assessment must consider the needs of people who may be especially at risk, including those with disabilities.
The responsible person must ensure that adequate arrangements are in place for anyone who cannot evacuate without assistance, which includes creating and implementing PEEPs where necessary.
The Equality Act 2010
Under the Equality Act, organisations have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people. This legal obligation extends to emergency evacuation procedures. Failing to provide an adequate PEEP or the necessary equipment and assistance could constitute discrimination.
Reasonable adjustments might include providing evacuation equipment, installing visual or vibrating alarms, identifying suitable refuge areas, training staff to provide assistance, or adapting evacuation procedures to accommodate specific needs.
Post-Grenfell Legislative Changes
The Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017 tragically highlighted serious shortcomings in evacuation planning for people with disabilities and reduced mobility. The Grenfell Tower Inquiry found that many residents who needed assistance lacked proper PEEPs, and suitable evacuation equipment was not available.
In response to these failures, the government introduced significant new requirements:
The Building Safety Act 2022 brought in stricter rules for high-rise residential buildings, including mandatory evacuation plans for residents who require assistance, regular reviews of these plans, and requirements for building managers to have suitable evacuation strategies in place.
The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 made it compulsory for responsible persons in residential buildings to provide residents with information about evacuation procedures and to share relevant information with the local fire and rescue service.
Further regulatory changes are anticipated, likely extending PEEP requirements across a broader range of building types and strengthening enforcement mechanisms.
Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland operates under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and associated regulations, which similarly require fire risk assessments to consider people with disabilities and ensure appropriate evacuation arrangements.
Northern Ireland is governed by the Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 and the Fire Safety Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010, which place comparable duties on responsible persons to provide for the safe evacuation of all building occupants.
Who is Responsible for Creating a PEEP?
The responsibility for developing a PEEP falls primarily on the employer, building manager, or the person in control of the premises. However, creating an effective PEEP requires active collaboration:
The Responsible Person must initiate the process, ensure PEEPs are created for those who need them, provide necessary resources (such as equipment and training), and regularly review plans.
The Individual should be fully involved in developing their own PEEP, providing information about their specific needs, preferences, and concerns, and participating in practice evacuations.
Health and Safety Personnel should provide expert guidance on risk assessment, evacuation procedures, and legal compliance.
Designated Assistants (colleagues or staff members who will help during evacuation) must be identified, properly trained, and aware of their responsibilities.
Fire Safety Advisors may be consulted to ensure PEEPs align with overall fire safety strategies and building-specific considerations.
It’s essential that PEEPs are not created in isolation or imposed on individuals without their input. A collaborative approach ensures that plans are practical, dignified, and genuinely effective.
Common Challenges in Emergency Evacuation
People with reduced mobility face several significant obstacles during emergency evacuations:
Stairwell Access: Most buildings rely on stairs for emergency evacuation, which presents an insurmountable barrier for wheelchair users and a significant challenge for those with limited mobility.
Lift Prohibition: Fire safety rules generally prohibit using lifts during emergencies, removing the accessible route that many people depend on.
Speed of Evacuation: People who move more slowly may struggle to keep pace with the general evacuation flow, potentially becoming separated from assistance or creating bottlenecks.
Physical Carrying Risks: Attempting to manually carry someone down stairs is dangerous for both the individual and those assisting, potentially causing injury or falls.
Refuge Area Limitations: While designated refuge areas (protected spaces where people can wait safely) are valuable, they are only a temporary solution and individuals still need a way to complete their evacuation to ground level.